La Borinqueña

"La Borinqueña" (from the native name of Puerto Rico, Borinquen or Boriquen; Spanish pronunciation: [la βoɾiŋˈkeɲa]) is the official anthem[4] of Puerto Rico.[5]

This article is about the anthem. For the graphic novel, see La Borinqueña (graphic novel). For the album, see Borinqueña (album).
La Borinqueña
Official anthem of Puerto Rico
LyricsManuel Fernández Juncos, 1901[1][2]
MusicFélix Astol Artés, 1867[lower-alpha 1] (original version)
Luis Miranda, 1922 (current version)
Adopted1952 (as instrumental)
ReadoptedJuly 27, 1977 (1977-07-27) (with lyrics)
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version
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After Puerto Rico became known as "The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" in 1952,[4] the first elected governor, Luis Muñoz Marín, signed law #2 of July 24, 1952, which made an altered version of the musical composition known as "La Borinqueña" its national anthem. The words that go with the composition were approved by governor Carlos Romero Barceló on July 27, 1977, as per law #123.[3]

Etymology

The title refers to the aboriginal Taíno name for the island of Puerto Rico, Borinquén.

History
Manuel Fernandez Juncos, author of the current officially adopted lyrics of "La Borinqueña"

The music was originally credited to Félix Astol Artés in 1867 as a habanera danza, with romantic lyrics, but there is some evidence that Francisco Ramírez, a native of San Germán, wrote the music[3] in 1860, and named it "La Almojábana".[6] In 1868, Lola Rodríguez de Tió wrote a poem in support of the Puerto Rican revolution, which was set to the Ramírez/Astol music. In fear of investigation by the Spanish government, Ramírez asked Astol to claim authorship of the music since he was a native of Catalonia and would, therefore, raise no suspicion.[3]

After the cession of the island to the United States, the popular revolutionary lyrics of Lola Rodríguez de Tió were deemed too subversive for official adoption; therefore, a non-confrontational set of lyrics were written in 1903 by Asturias-born Manuel Fernández Juncos. The tune was officially adopted as Puerto Rico's national anthem in 1952 by governor Luis Muñoz Marín, and the words were adopted in 1977 by governor Carlos Romero Barceló.

The version of "La Borinqueña" that is most commonly performed today is performed as a slow-tempo march, without the original tune's initial paseo. Per the request of the new government, Ramón Collado rearranged the music in 1952 into a more military-like tune.[4] Luis Miranda, the musical director of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment Band, adapted the tune to be played as a march in 1922. The 1977 law that officially adopted the words merely stated that "La Borinqueña" be played as a march, with the tempo vaguely described as being in a "martial manner", but established no official arrangement for the music. An official revision made in 2003 leaves the tune as a march.

In 2012, Dr. Yajaira Sierra Sastre, an aspiring astronaut, collaborated in a variety of projects with the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network and the Cornell Nanoscale Facility, which included writing the smallest "national" anthem ever written, "La Borinqueña Más Pequeña".[7]

According to Puerto Rico Law # 2 of July 24, 1952, both "La Borinqueña" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" are played at official events.[8] During international sports competitions such as the Olympics, only "La Borinqueña" is played.[9]

The anthem, with its revolutionary lyrics, was featured in Steven Spielberg's 2021 film adaptation of the stage musical West Side Story, sung by the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks, early in the film. It was never used in the stage version nor its 1961 film adaptation prior to this film.[10]

Lyrics

Current lyrics

The following are the current lyrics, as written by Manuel Fernández Juncos and adopted in 1903.

Spanish original[1] IPA transcription[lower-alpha 2] English translation

La tierra de Borinquén
donde he nacido yo
es un jardín florido
de mágico primor.

Un cielo siempre nítido
le sirve de dosel
y dan arrullos plácidos
las olas a sus pies.

Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón
(𝄆) exclamó, lleno de admiración: (𝄇)
¡Oh!, ¡oh!, ¡oh!,

Esta es la linda tierra
que busco yo;
Es Borinquén la hija,
la hija del mar y el sol,
𝄆 Del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol. 𝄇

[la ˈtje.ra ðe βo.ɾiŋ.ˈken]
[ˈdon.de‿e na.ˈsi.ðo ʝo]
[es un xaɾ.ˈðin flo.ˈɾi.ðo]
[de ˈma.xi.ko pɾi.ˈmoɾ]

[un ˈsje.lo ˈsjem.pɾe ˈni.ti.ðo]
[le ˈsiɾ.βe ðe ðo.ˈsel]
[i ðan a.ˈru.ʝos ˈpla.si.ðos]
[las ˈo.las a sus pjes]

[ˈkwan.do‿a sus ˈpla.ʝas ʝe.ˈɣo ko.ˈlon]
(𝄆) [eɣs.kla.ˈmo ˈʝe.no ðe‿að.mi.ɾa.ˈsjon] (𝄇)
[o ǀ o ǀ o ǁ]

[ˈes.ta‿ez la ˈlin.da ˈtje.ra]
[ke ˈβus.ko ʝo]
[ez βo.ɾiŋ.ˈken la ˈi.xa]
[la ˈi.xa ðel maɾ i‿el sol]
𝄆 [ðel maɾ i‿el sol]
[ðel maɾ i‿el sol] 𝄇

The land of Borinquén
where I was born
is a flowery garden
of magical beauty.

A constantly clear sky
serves as its canopy.
And placid lullabies are sung
by the waves at its feet.

When at her beaches Columbus arrived;
(𝄆) he exclaimed full of admiration (𝄇)
Oh! Oh! Oh!

This is the beautiful land
that I seek.
Borinquén is the daughter,
the daughter of the sea and the sun.
𝄆 Of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun. 𝄇

Original 1868 revolutionary lyrics
Lola Rodríguez de Tió, author of the original lyrics
Spanish original[11][12] English translation

I
¡Despierta, borinqueño
que han dado la señal!
¡Despierta de ese sueño
que es hora de luchar!

A ese llamar patriótico
¿no arde tu corazón?
¡Ven! Nos será simpático
el ruido del cañón.

Mira, ya el cubano
libre será;
𝄆 le dará el machete
su libertad. 𝄇

Ya el tambor guerrero
dice en su son,
que es la manigua el sitio,
el sitio de la reunión,
𝄆 de la reunión,
de la reunión. 𝄇

(El Grito de Lares
se ha de repetir,
y entonces sabremos
vencer o morir.[13])

II
Bellísima Borinquén,
a Cuba hay que seguir;
tú tienes bravos hijos
que quieren combatir.

ya por más tiempo impávido
no podemos estar,
ya no queremos, tímidos
dejarnos subyugar.

Nosotros queremos
ser libre ya,
𝄆 y nuestro machete
afilado está. 𝄇

¿Por qué, entonces, nosotros
hemos de estar,
tan dormidos y sordos
y sordos a esa señal?
𝄆 a esa señal,
a esa señal? 𝄇

III
No hay que temer, riqueños
al ruido del cañón,
que salvar a la patria
es deber del corazón!

ya no queremos déspotas,
caiga el tirano ya,
las mujeres indómitas
también sabrán luchar.

Nosotros queremos
la libertad,
𝄆 y nuestro machete
nos la dará. 𝄇

Vámonos, borinqueños,
vámonos ya,
que nos espera ansiosa,
ansiosa la libertad.
𝄆 ¡La libertad,
la libertad! 𝄇

I
Arise, boricua!
The call to arms has sounded!
Awake from the slumber,
it is time to fight!

Doesn't this patriotic
call set your heart alight?
Come! We are in tune with
the roar of the cannon.

Come, Come, the Cuban will
soon be freed;
𝄆 the machete will give him
his liberty. 𝄇

Now the drums of war
speak with their music,
that the jungle is the place,
the meeting place.
𝄆 The meeting,
The meeting. 𝄇

(The Cry of Lares
must be repeated,
and then we will know:
victory or death.)

II
Beautiful Borinquén
must follow Cuba;
you have brave sons
who wish to fight.

Now, no longer can
we be unmoved;
now we do not want timidly
to let them subjugate us.

We want
to be free now,
𝄆 and our machete
has been sharpened. 𝄇

Why, then,
have we been
so sleepy and deaf
and deaf to the call?
𝄆 To the call,
to the call? 𝄇

III
There is no need to fear,
Ricans, the roar of the cannon;
saving the nation is
the duty of the heart.

We no longer want despots,
tyranny shall fall now;
the unconquerable women also will
know how to fight.

We want
freedom,
𝄆 and our machete
will give it to us. 𝄇

Come, Boricuas,
come now,
since anxiously awaits us
anxiously, freedom,
𝄆 freedom,
freedom! 𝄇

Short version

A short version of the revolutionary lyrics is sometimes sung, consisting of the first half of the first verse and the second half of the third verse.[14][15]

Spanish original English translation

I
¡Despierta, borinqueño
que han dado la señal!
¡Despierta de ese sueño
que es hora de luchar!

A ese llamar patriótico
¿no arde tu corazón?
¡Ven! Nos será simpático
el ruido del cañón.

III
Nosotros queremos
la libertad,
y nuestro machete
nos la dará.

Vámonos, borinqueños,
vámonos ya,
que nos espera ansiosa,
ansiosa la libertad.
𝄆 ¡La libertad,
la libertad! 𝄇

I
Arise, boricua!
The call to arms has sounded!
Awake from the slumber,
it is time to fight!

Doesn't this patriotic
call set your heart alight?
Come! We are in tune with
the roar of the cannon.

III
We want
freedom,
and our machete
will give it to us.

Come, Boricuas,
come now,
since anxiously awaits us
anxiously, freedom,
𝄆 freedom,
freedom! 𝄇

Notes
  1. Or possibly Francisco Ramírez.[3]
  2. See Help:IPA/Spanish, Spanish phonology and Puerto Rican Spanish.

References
  1. "Leyes de la Bandera; Escudo; Gran sello e Himno de Puerto Rico" [Laws of the Flag; Shield; Great Seal and Anthem of Puerto Rico]. LexJuris de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  2. "Central America: Puerto Rico". CIA Factbook. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  3. "La Fortaleza, Simbolos Patrios: Himno de Puerto Rico" Archived 2006-06-14 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved: February 23, 2008.
  4. "Himnos Nacionales" [National Anthems]. PR.GOV - Portal Oficial del Gobierno de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Government of Puerto Rico. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  5. Quintanilla, Ray (January 9, 2006). "From rebel to peacemaker". The Chicago Tribune.
  6. "borinq.html". Coqui NET. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  7. "'La Borinqueña' más pequeña". El Nuevo Dia. March 28, 2012.
  8. "Ley Núm. 93 de 2005 -Ley para añadir las Secciones 5 y 6 a la Ley Núm. 1 de 1952: Departamento de Estado, Uso Conjunto de Banderas". LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  9. Olympic Participation a Source of Pride in Puerto Rico. Sean Jensen. SportsEngine Inc. 3 October 2018. Accessed 1 February 2022. Archived.
  10. What’s New in the New West Side Story?: In Steven Spielberg’s version, we get a film that offers a far more inclusive vision of postwar America but one that still retains its flawed view of working-class tribalism.. Ed Morales. The Nation. 20 December 2021. Accessed 1 February 2022. Archived.
  11. Teresa Babin, Maria (1958). Panorama de la cultura Puertorriqueña: Prólog por Andres Iduarte (in Spanish). Las Américas Publishing Company. p. 235.
  12. Aparicio, Frances R. (1998). Listening to Salsa: Gender, Latin Popular Music, and Puerto Rican Cultures. Wesleyan University Press. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-8195-6308-8.
  13. Malavet Vega, Pedro (1992). Historia de la canción popular en Puerto Rico (1493-1898) (in Spanish). P. Malavet Vega. p. 273.
  14. ILovebeingPR (2015-09-26). "La Borinqueña - Himno Revolucionario (con letras)". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  15. Delia Rivera (2019-07-20). "Himno Revolucionario de Puerto Rico cantado por miles de personas en la Plaza del Quinto Centenario". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
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